Specialist: IT Managed Services & Vendor Performance

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

5+ years' total experience in Technology, IT Service Management, Vendor Management, or Managed Services, with at least: 5+ years managing strategic technology vendors, suppliers, or outsourced service providers. 3–5 years operating within a regulated industry.

Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships at a senior management level.

Exposure to contract governance, SLA management, performance monitoring, and commercial negotiations.Relevant Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Management, or a related field. Proven experience in vendor management, managed services, supplier management, service delivery, or technology operations. Strong understanding of IT service management principles and operational governance. Experience managing stakeholder relationships across technical and business environments. Knowledge of contract management, SLA monitoring, and performance management practices.Job Description

5+ years' total experience in Technology, IT Service Management, Vendor Management, or Managed Services, with at least:

5+ years managing strategic technology vendors, suppliers, or outsourced service providers.

3–5 years operating within a regulated industry.

Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships at a senior management level.

Exposure to contract governance, SLA management, performance monitoring, and commercial negotiations.Relevant Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Management, or a related field.

Proven experience in vendor management, managed services, supplier management, service delivery, or technology operations.

Strong understanding of IT service management principles and operational governance.

Experience managing stakeholder relationships across technical and business environments.

Knowledge of contract management, SLA monitoring, and performance management practices.

Service Management

• Provide ongoing support in the requirements analysis & business capability review processes pre-during & post contract negotiation
• Leverage expertise in technology, the client & our own business areas to support solution design processes
• Gain deep expertise in the technical solutions to successfully manage MSP / client delivery to business
• Implement routines & processes to consistently evaluate solution requirements & evolve / inform the evolution of products & services required
• Provide input into feasibilities and business cases
• Work as part of integrated delivery teams to manage the implementation of project / program roadmaps associated with the managed services partnership
• Lead all project / program & relationship management routines for the managed service partnership
• Ensure the successful implementation of all products & services across the partnership
• Work with internal / external clients to clearly articulate & define Service Level Agreements for the assigned area of focus
• Implement clear monitoring & project / program and service management routines (meetings, design forums, change forums, application support, application maintenance, application security, pre-prod & production implementations & monitoring, incident management, quality management, problem management, reporting, infrastructure monitoring (e.g. networks) etc.)
• Ensure ongoing monitoring & performance reviews and associated reporting to client (internal / external)
• Leverage ongoing monitoring & performance to ensure uninterrupted business operations & proactive issue identification & resolution for a specific business area
• Hold the ‘one stop shop’ accountability for reliable, resilient & effective service provision for the product / service area
• Design, implement & lead problem & incident management processes (in cases of) for the defined product / service area
• Leverage service monitoring data & analytics to provide recommendations for a more successful & evolving partnership
• Stay ahead of the curve on managed services & technology product / service trends and leading practices & apply these for the benefit of the partnership

Vendor / Client identification & Negotiation

• Understand the MS landscape & environment & leverage knowledge & expertise gained to make recommendations for future partnerships & partnership improvements
• Identify & communicate opportunities for managed services partnership enhancements (commercial viability)
• Support commercial negotiations (e.g. participate in negotiations, providing supporting information & data analytics etc.)
• Act as the single point of contact for MSP’s for defined product / service area & communicate / guide them on strategy & requirements alignment, changes, challenges, and or issue resolution etc.
• Ensure the implementation of effective relationship & communication management routines that enable successful service provision to or by the organization
• Support the onboarding process for customers & or MSPs & ensure the environment is conducive to partnership service provision (everything is in place in the physical / other environment)
• Ensure partnership delivery on all parameters – ensuring we obtain value from the partnership

People

• Manage the capacity planning & resource management processes & tools ensuring the right number of resources (ABSA & Service Side) to deliver uninterrupted services across the estate
• Support the capability development across the partnership (clients and or MSP’s) & continuously cascade relevant business / technical information for the enhanced delivery of products & services
• Leverage coaching expertise in all activity to drive a higher quality design and deployment of technical products and services by MSP’s or as an MSP provider

Financial & Vendor Management, Risk & Governance

• Ensure the partnership delivers on targets and objectives (sustainably / ALWAYS!)
• Deliver on all contract requirements (as client & OR; MSP) to ensure sustainable and viable partnerships always
• Apply the organization risk & governance frameworks for all contracts & services provision
• Ensure product / services alignment to all Tech (CSO, CTO etc.) guidelines and frameworks and are in compliance with all internal policy & external regulatory requirements
• Lead the input requirements for all internal / external audits related to managed services provision & or receipt
• Deliver on time & on budget (always) Education

Bachelor's Degree: Information TechnologyAbsa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised